Cassander, Georg (1513-1566)

Georg Cassander was an outstanding Catholic scholar. He was born 24 August 1513 at Pittham near Bruges and died in Cologne on 3 February 1566. He was noted for his exceedingly rare tolerance toward persons of other faiths. He was frequently used to convert Anabaptists, as in the case of Johannes Campanus, and especially of Matthias Servaes. The latter portrays him in his letters (Martyrs Mirror) as a man little and feeble of body, who . . . laid many little snares, to take captive my mind." In his Opera, published in Paris in 1616, Cassander presents two extremely interesting conversations with Servaes (Rembert, 476, note 4). He was obviously deeply impressed by Servaes' faith, firmly rooted in the Bible, and by his constancy in the face of death. He deeply regretted that the imperial laws inexorably demanded the death penalty for the young Anabaptist, and believed that the Anabaptists should be converted by teaching and instruction rather than punished with the sword. Summoned by the Duke of Cleve, Cassander went to Duisburg to convert the Anabaptists (Ottius, Annaies Anabaptistici, 122). To this end he wrote a pamphlet on infant baptism, which he read to Servaes. He mentioned another booklet he wrote to combat the Anabaptists with the title, Libellus Adversus Anabaptistas (Rembert, 546, note 6). Because of his pacific attitude Ferdinand I called him to his court to assist in the task of reconciling the creeds, but it did not take place. Cassander's influence was not of long duration because his position lacked definiteness.

Bibliography

Braght, Thieleman J. van. The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 690. Available online at: http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm